


Negotiations

by walkalittleline



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Trans Male Character, y’all knew I was gonna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-02 05:41:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18804865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/walkalittleline/pseuds/walkalittleline
Summary: Caleb is willing to do just about anything for Essik to teach him more Dunamancy.





	Negotiations

They’ve been working together for nearly two hours, Caleb scribbling furiously in his spellbook while Essik eyes him closely, a mix of faint suspicion and what Caleb can only interpret as curiosity on his dark features as he watches him. He’s nearly finished transcribing the first spell, eyes sore from staring at the intricate and unfamiliar runes for so long, fingers smeared with dark ink that he’s sure has also flecked on his face with how low he’s bending over the pages of Essik’s spellbook and his own. He finishes copying down the last sharp rune and sets his quill down with a sigh, rubbing his eyes with the back of his wrist so as not to get ink in them and sitting back in his seat. Just four hours more for the second spell and he’ll be finished, will have expanded his repertoire with two of these strange dunamantic spells.

“Let me see,” Essik says in that soft, silken voice, pulling Caleb’s spellbook towards him to review his work, humming thoughtfully. 

Caleb blinks hard a few times and stifles a yawn, stretching the stiffness from his fingers and wrists.

“You do good work,” Essik says, pushing the book back in front of Caleb with a grin. He flips through his own book to another spell and turns it for Caleb to view. “One more to go, yes? Then I’ll show you both of them so you can, ah, get a feel for them.”

Caleb nods, sighing as he bends back over his book and picks up his quill. He dips it into the well of ink and squints at Essik’s spellbook, the neat, spiky runes written across the page, and starts writing again. He’s been working in silence for five minutes, Essik absently swirling the drink Caduceus had brought him with a gracious smile, when Essik speaks up.

“That’s an interesting accent you’ve got,” he says, setting down his drink and resting his chin on his hand as he peers at Caleb. “We don’t get many humans this far east as it is, but I’ve certainly not heard one who sounds like you before. What part of the Empire are you from?”

“Blumenthal. In the Zemni Fields,” Caleb responds absently, frowning as he deciphers a particularly intricate line of runes. 

“Never heard of it,” Essik replies lightly. He runs his fingertip along the rim of his cup, Caleb pausing when he feels his eyes on him.

“Humans are such interesting creatures,” Essik says, head cocked to one side and eyes roving lazily over Caleb’s face. “You have such short lives to live, yet here you are, pledging it to a cause and a kingdom you’ve not known but for a few weeks. You’ve lived, what, a third of your life? And have not even started a family. Seems odd.”

“I have a family,” Caleb says. “These people... they are my family. And you are being generous thinking I will live for a hundred years.”

Essik chuckles as Caleb goes back to writing, continuing for a few minutes in silence, pausing briefly with his quill hovering over the page when Essik stands smoothly and moves to the bookcase to peruse the few volumes Caleb has managed to amass. Caleb goes back to writing, the quiet scratch of his quill the only noise in the room apart from the occasional rustle of Essik’s cloak across the floor as he moves around the room.

Caleb glances back at him where he’s now gazing out of the window, hesitating a moment before turning back around and lifting the corner of the page to try and peek at the next spell, heartbeat quickening nervously. He freezes when a hand touches lightly to the back of his own, preventing him from lifting the page further.

“Ah ah ah,” Essik says smoothly from over his shoulder, hand still on Caleb’s. His fingers are long and slender, delicate and well-manicured, so unlike Caleb’s own dirty, heat-calloused ones. “That one was not part of our agreement, pet.”

Caleb wets his lips and swallows anxiously, sure Essik is about to change his mind and take the book back completely. 

“Apologies,” Caleb mutters, heat crawling up his neck. “Just curious.”

“Oh, I know you are,” Essik purrs, his mouth close to Caleb’s ear. “And I admire that. But... patience, hm?”

Caleb nods stiffly, exhaling a sigh of relief when Essik sinks back into his own seat again, folding his arms across his chest and watching him closely again. His gaze makes him squirm uncomfortably, want to shrink in his seat and hide under the collar of his shirt, like Essik is able to see right through his skull and into his brain. It’s a little like the feeling he gets when Caduceus, insightful as he is, looks at him, but it’s more predatory rather than warm.

“What do I have to do,” he says, not looking up from his book, though he hears Essik shift in his seat as he perks to attention. “To learn more?”

“Mm, like I said. Prove yourself loyal to the Dynasty, perform a few more favors. And we’ll see what we can do.”

“What about you?” Caleb says, looking at him at last. “Is there nothing we can do for you directly?”

Essik laughs, low and smooth. “Oh, I’m not sure I have use for a group of misfit defects from the Empire. But if I think of anything, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

Caleb hesitates, turning his quill over in his fingers, before saying, “What about me? Is there anything  _I_  can do for you?”

Essik gives him a curious look, one eyebrow cocked and head tilted back as he scrutinizes him. Caleb feels himself color, wondering if he’s understood his intent behind the words. 

One corner of Essik’s lips twitches upward and he makes an almost amused sound in his throat as he pushes himself to his feet. He moves to stand behind Caleb again, Caleb tensing in his seat as his hands settle on his shoulders, light and careful. He lowers his head and Caleb can feel his breath on the back of his ear.

“You’ve missed a line,” he says in that same velvety voice that makes something hot and expectant curl low in his gut. He reaches over Caleb’s shoulder to point at the section he’s just transcribed. “Just here.”

“Ah, right,” Caleb says, grimacing at how breathy his voice comes out. He bends over the page to correct his transcription, heart thumping a rapid, anxious pace in his chest. His writing is slightly uneven from the small shake in his hand.

“That’s better,” Essik murmurs. His hand withdraws from the page but doesn’t return to his shoulder, his fingertips instead ghosting down the front of Caleb’s chest, over his stomach, between his legs.

Caleb jumps when he presses down on his groin, making no acknowledgement of the flat skin apart from a small, considering sound. Warmth throbs across his groin, his breath catching and rushing out of his lungs when Essik’s fingers dip further between his legs, rubbing across the sensitive skin through his breeches, his legs falling open automatically. Essik turns his face into his neck, nose brushing against the line of his jaw.

“I didn’t say to stop writing,” Essik whispers, fingers tracing back up to the waistband of Caleb’s breeches and teasing along the line of fabric.

Caleb swallows and tries to refocus his brain on the complicated runes, fingers trembling as Essik dips his fingers into breeches, sliding them down between his legs and sending a jolt through him as he touches the spreading wetness on his skin.

“My, my, you  _are_  eager to learn, ”  Essik purrs, sounding amused and almost impressed. His fingers slide between the slick folds of skin and Caleb’s breath stutters from him, his eyes sliding shut briefly as arousal pulses in his blood. 

“You’re so warm, pet,” Essik breathes, middle finger rubbing lightly over Caleb’s clit, making him whimper and grip his quill so hard he’s afraid he might snap it in two.

“I bet you’d feel wonderful,” Essik continues, hand forcing its way deeper into Caleb’s breeches so he can tease his fingertips over his entrance. “Would you like that? Like me to bend you over this desk and take you?”

“Yes,” Caleb gasps, nodding, dizzied at the thought of it. “ Please. ”

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” Essik chuckles, slipping his hand free. “Stand up.”

He steps back and Caleb hastens to obey, pushing his chair back so quickly it nearly topples over, making Essik laugh quietly again.

“Bend forward over the desk,” he says, shrugging out of his long cloak and draping it over the back of Caleb’s chair. He’s lithe and slender under the mantle, tall, heeled boots buckled up his long legs to the knee. Caleb does as he’s told, bracing his palms on the desk and leaning over it slightly.

“No, no, bend _forward_ ,” Essik says silkily, hand pressing between Caleb’s shoulder blades until he gives and lowers his upper half onto the desk, his chest flat against the surface and his arms bent at his sides, his cheek pressed to the cool wood.

“That’s better,” Essik murmurs. 

He pushes up the back of Caleb’s shirt so he can hook his fingers in the waistband of his breeches, tugging them down to pool around his knees.

“You humans are so pale,” Essik observes casually, running his fingers over Caleb’s ass and the tops of his thighs. He taps the toe of his boot to the inside of Caleb’s foot, easing his legs open wider. 

Caleb gasps softly as his fingers slip between his legs again, sliding through the gathering slickness. He’s embarrassingly wet already, feels another rush of heat as Essik presses one finger smoothly inside him.

“You’re soaking wet,” Essik breathes, his other hand reaching around Caleb so he can rub his index finger over his clit. “Would you like me to fuck you, Caleb? I don’t even think you need preparation with how wet and loose you are already. So needy.”

Caleb flushes shamefully but nods, rocking his hips back and groaning as it forces Essik’s finger deeper into him. 

“ _I'm_ not quite ready yet, though,” Essik continues, adding a second finger and thrusting them both lazily inside of him. “You feel so nice inside, pet, it’d be a shame to rush things.” 

Caleb groans impatiently but doesn’t protest further when Essik curls a third finger inside of him, his other hand still rubbing slow, torturous circles over his clit. Caleb feels his legs shake under him as pleasure courses across his groin, warm wetness spreading inside him.

“Mm, my god,” Essik murmurs, slipping his fingers free and ignoring Caleb’s whimper of protest. He holds his hand up so Caleb can see his slick fingers, see how wet they are.

“Look at that,” he muses, rubbing his fingers together with a mildly interested look. “I’ve barely even touched you, Caleb.”

“Please,” Caleb whispers desperately.

“Please what?” Essik replies, smirking as he raises his fingers to his lips and sucks them into his mouth with a hum of enjoyment.

“Fuck me,” Caleb says. “Essik,  _please_ , fuck me.” He’s throbbing with heat, practically dripping wet with need, arching his hips back and urging Essik to just get it over with already.

Essik chuckles low in his throat but Caleb hears the soft, metallic click of his belt, the rustle of fabric followed by a sigh of relief. He steps closers, one hand gripping Caleb’s hip, Caleb starting as the other guides his cock between his legs to rub teasingly across the wet skin. Caleb bites back a whine, closing his eyes as Essik pushes forward, not into him, merely rubbing himself between the slick folds of skin, coating himself. Caleb’s fingernails scratch lightly on the surface of the desk as his hands curl into fists.

“You haven’t been touched in a while, have you?” Essik says conversationally. “I can tell. I bet you’ve just been aching for it, haven’t you? What about that tall one, hm? Or that green one? Not your type?”

The head of his cock catches Caleb’s clit and he whimpers. He’d be lying if he said he hasn’t thought about what it would be like to be fucked by Caduceus or Fjord, hell, he’d wondered what it would have been like with Molly, he knows an attractive man when he sees one, he’s not blind. But Essik doesn’t need to know that. He just needs to hurry up and fuck him before he loses his mind waiting.

“Please,” he whispers, eyes prickling with frustration. “Essik.”

“Mm, my name sounds so lovely on your tongue,” Essik says. “You ought to say it more.”

“ _Essik_ .”

“Easy, pet,” Essik mumbles. “I’m right here.”

His fingers tighten on Caleb’s hip and Caleb has to turn his head to stifle a moan into the desk as he pushes smoothly into him at last. He clenches down on him automatically, knees trembling as he pulses hotly. Essik murmurs something in an unfamiliar language, both hands holding firmly onto Caleb’s hips as he pulls out and thrusts back into him again, Caleb biting his lips hard to keep from crying out.

It’s far from romantic, the rough sound of Essik’s panting breath and slap of skin as he fucks Caleb with sharp, deliberate movements, but it’s exactly what he needs. He lets himself go limp against him, brain tunneling on how good he feels inside him, the easy glide of his cock in and out of him, the tremors of pleasure that travel across his hips and down his thighs each time he buries himself in him. When Essik drapes himself over him and begins rubbing his fingertips over his clit, it doesn’t take long for him to come, turning his head into his shoulder to muffle a low groan as he throbs and arches his hips back, knees going dangerously weak under him.

But Essik keeps him propped up with his hands on his hips, continues fucking him, breathing heavily into Caleb’s neck.

“I’m going to come inside you, Caleb,” he murmurs, voice still low and smooth but with a shake of unsteadiness to it. “Would you like that?”

_Is that okay?_

Caleb hears the unspoken question in his voice and nods eagerly. Essik swears under his breath, rests his forehead against the base of Caleb’s neck as he begins fucking him more roughly. He grunts softly, hips jerking forward and fingers digging into Caleb’s skin as he comes inside him, pressed flush to Caleb as he does. He exhales sharply against Caleb’s neck, fingers still circling his over sensitive clit.

Essik remains there for a few seconds, panting lightly, before slipping out of him with a soft groan. Caleb immediately feels warm liquid trickling down his inner thigh.

Essik straightens up and Caleb hears him tucking himself back in his pants, rebuckling them before tugging Caleb’s breeches back up his hips, leaving a spreading wet spot across the crotch.

“Well,” Essik says as Caleb stands back up, still feeling shaky and uncoordinated from his orgasm. “You do make a compelling argument.”

There’s the faintest sheen of sweat at the fringe of his hair, a few strands falling loose over his forehead and his cheeks flushed faintly. Other than this he looks as put together as always. 

He clears his throat, adjusting the collar of his shirt and draping his cloak and mantle back around his shoulders. He smirks faintly.

“I suppose we could... revisit our agreement,” he says, eyes flicking to where their spellbooks are still spread across the desk, slightly askew.

Caleb grins. “I am always open for negotiation.”

**Author's Note:**

> Essik Theylas please romance the wizard.


End file.
